Sweet Addiction
by insanedairyfarmer
Summary: The call of the pool hall is too much for Ash, as he abandons his quest for mastery to play the game of eight-ball. Years later, he's tracked down by an old friend. Hints of AdvanceShipping and FireGrass shipping.
1. Chapter 1

** The call of the pool hall is too much for Ash, as he abandons his quest for mastery to play the game of eight-ball. Years later, he's tracked down by an old friend. **

_Dedicated to John - you let me play when no-one else would._

The raven-haired man carefully chalked up the tip of his cue, deciding which way to go about the decision that was awaiting his choice. Sighing, he rested the cue on his hand, and lined up the shot. Breathing deeply, he drew the cue back, and brought it forward with a sharp _crack_.

Countless sets of eyes followed the cue ball as it whizzed around the table, finally hitting its destination - the black 8 ball. The 8 ball, as if struck by lightning, jumped from its stationary position and raced into the left corner pocket.

Sighs were released as Ash stood back up, shaking his opponent's hand. The prize money - nearly six hundred dollars in five and ten dollar bills - was handed to him. He carefully stashed the money inside his oilskin vest, before dismantling his pool cue and zipping it into its case. He then left the bar.

Ash Ketchum, one-time Pokémon champion, sat down on the wooden bench near the front entrance to the bar. Fumbling in his pockets, he found what he was looking for - a shrunken Pokéball. Pulling it out, he furtively looked around and made sure no-one was watching. Satisfied, he threw the Pokéball.

Emerging from the Pokéball was Pidgeot, one of the first Pokémon Ash had caught. Climbing onto its back, Ash smiled at the memory.

"Go, Pigeot, to Pallet Town!"

May Maple sat still, watching an old recording of a Pokémon battle. The video case sat next to the television, titled "Ash Ketchum vs The Orange Crew: Orange Islands 2001". Smiling at the dark-haired boy on the screen, May reflected on their journeys together. Her thoughts then turned to when Ash had gone missing, the frantic call she had received from Brock.

"_**Hey May, it's Brock."**_

"_**Hey there Brock! It's so good to hear from you! How are you? How are Dawn and Ash?"**_

_**Brock sighed. "May, Ash is missing."**_

_**May sat, as if frozen, the room spinning around her.**_

"_**Hello? May? Are you still there?" Brock's voice brought her back to reality.**_

"_**Brock, when did he go missing?"**_

"_**This morning. When I woke up, all his things were still where he left them, even Pikachu." May's heart had wrenched - he'd never leave Pikachu behind. Brock continued.**_

"_**There was no sign of a struggle. All his Pokémon were still there, with the exception of one, and his belongings were intact."**_

"_**Thanks for letting me know."**_

Since then, he'd simply been missing. There had been numerous sightings, as with any missing person. But May believed she would find him. Professor Oak had told her that Ash had swapped some of his Pokémon over, about a week after Brock's call. He'd taken Pidgeot, and left all the others at the ranch in Pallet Town. Re-focusing on the television, she saw Ash strike a victorious pose, as he held the Orange Islands trophy above his head.

_I will find you, Ash Ketchum._


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

_Thank you, to my ONE reviewer... after nearly a hundred hits, you'd think that some others would review. Anyway, enjoy the update!_

**DISCLAIMER: HappyHereford does not own Pokemon, Nintendo, Game Freak and all the other affiliated companies.**

_Before the story begins, a quote from a friend._

_Stoner: "Don't curse me for what I was, curse me for what I have become."  
Whitty: *sighs* "What did you do to my chair?"_

As Pidgeot landed, Ash shook himself awake, Taking in his surroundings, he noticed that he seemed to be above the ground... nearly two stories. Pidgeot had landed on the roof of Ash's house.

"GAH! PIDGEOT!!" Ash cried out as he slipped off Pidgeot's back, and landed on the roof. Luckily, the incline of the roof was fairly obtuse, so he didn't slide off. Pidgeot cackled, and grabbed Ash's upper arms with his talons and gently guided him to the ground. Ash brushed himself off, before pushing the front door to his house open.

A shocking sight welcomed him home -- Professor Oak lay atop Ash's mother on the couch, thrusting into her like a wild animal. Ash, gagging, quietly pulled the door shut and ran over to the garden, throwing up into the cabbage patch whilst he gripped the wooden railings. Hearing footsteps behind him, Ash spun quickly.

"Mime?" Mr. Mime tilted his head.  
"Oh, Mr. Mime, thank goodness." Ash reached out and patted the Barrier Pokémon on the back. "Why are you outside?"  
"Mime, mime mr mime." Mimey gestured inside. "Mime mime." He made a thrusting gesture with his hips. "MIME!"  
Ash got the gist of what Mimey was saying. "Eww." Ash looked at the house. "How long has this been going on for?"  
Mr. Mime held up seven fingers, and circled an arm around his head.  
"Seven _weeks_?"  
Mimey nodded.  
"Eww." Ash hoisted himself up, so that he sat atop the wooden railing.

"How long do they usually go for?"  
Mr. Mime held up two fingers. "Mime mime."  
"Two hours?"  
Mr. Mime nodded.  
"When did they start?"  
Mimey held up a single finger, and bent over half of a second.  
"An hour and a half ago?" He was rewarded with an affirmative "Mime."  
"Alright, thank you." Ash thought for a second. "Wanna go to the ranch with me?"  
Mr. Mime shook his head. "Mime, mimey mime, mr mime." He gestured sweeping.  
"You've gotta _clean up after them? _WHAT!?"  
Mr. Mime shrugged. "Mime, mime mime."  
"That's gross." Ash jumped down off the railing. "Oh well, it was nice to see you." He began to walk towards the Pokémon ranch. "I'll see you in the morning."  
"Mime." Mr. Mime turned to walk back into the house. If he'd estimated correctly, the Pokémon Professor and Delia should be nearly done by now. He hurried into the laundry and picked up a mop, bucket and a bottle of stain remover.

Ash quietly arrived at the Pokémon ranch, and vaulted over the gate.

"Bulbasaur, I'm here." Ash called out quietly, knowing that the Seed Pokémon would be guarding the gate.  
"Bulba!" Ash's Bulbasaur waddled over, happy to see his trainer. It extended a vine in greeting.  
Ash took the vine into his own hand and shook it, laughing. "It's good to see you too, buddy." He released the vine. "Do you want to tell the others I'm here?"  
"Bulb." Bulbasaur nodded in agreement and began to walk away from the gate, Ash following close behind.  
"Bulb bulba bulbasaur!" Before Ash knew it, he was knocked over by a fat yellow mouse.

"PIKA PIKA PI!" Pikachu, having missed his trainer, leapt upon him and hugged him fiercely, unknowingly setting off a ThunderShock attack. When Pikachu realised his mistake, he let go of Ash, and thus stopped the wave of electricity.

"Hey, Pikachu, it's great to see you too." Ash groggily stood up. His Pokémon surrounded him. Muk gurgled happily and engulfed Ash in a slimy hug. Kingler clicked his pincers and attempted to dance. His Snorlax briefly opened its eyes, before smiling slightly and falling back asleep. Heracross zoomed around his head, chattering rapidly. Bayleef jumped like an excited Growlithe, delighted that Ash had returned. Totodile danced with an unwilling Donphan, who looked ready to charge the Big Jaw Pokémon. Noctowl, Staraptor and Swellow watched quietly from a tree, whilst Sceptile sat with Glalie, seemingly telling a story. Torkoal cried, whilst Corphish danced with Gliscor. Grotle sat unswervingly, while Infernape sat on his back. Buizel sat happily next to them. Gible began to chew on a rock.

"Wait, who's missing?" Ash turned, and nearly fell off in surprise.

"TYPHLOSION!" The huge Volcano Pokémon called out, then ran over to Ash.

"You evolved! Wow!" Ash hugged Typhlosion, amazed. "How?"

Pikachu rushed to Ash's side. "Pika pi!"

**_FLASHBACK (Pikachu's POV)_**

The huge (and wild) Venusaur stomped through the Pokémon ranch, crushing trees and fences. No-one would stand in its way.

"Cinda!" Cyndaquil plucked up the courage and stood in the Venusaur's way.

"VENAA!" The Venusaur began to charge up a SolarBeam.

"Cynda-quilllll!" Cyndaquil unleashed a massive Flamethrower, completely engulfing the Venusaur. Suddenly, Cyndaquil began to glow. His body lengthened, his nose shrinking, and the flames upon his back and head grew higher. Eventually, the glow softened, and standing where Cyndaquil once stood, was a Quilava.

"Quil!" Quilava stood upon his hind legs and unleashed a Fire Blast that hit the Venusaur head on. The Venusaur knelt over, completely knocked out. Quilava began to glow. Again, his body lengthened, becoming more human in appearance. The flames from his head and back moved to the nape of his neck, and his ears became more profound. The glow dissipated, and standing before Pikachu was a Typhlosion.

**_END FLASHBACK_**

"That's incredible!" Ash was amazed. He then laughed. "You and Sceptile might make good pool sharks, hey?"  
Typhlosion tilted his head in confusion. Hearing his name, Sceptile wandered over.  
"Just joking, guys." Ash smiled at Sceptile. "How you doin'?"  
Sceptile grinned. "Scep, scep tile."  
"What? May was here?"  
Sceptile nodded. "Scep, scep sceptile tile." He imitated a Blaziken walking. He then blushed.  
"Haha. You got it bad, buddy." Ash grinned. "Why was she here?"  
"Scep." Sceptile shrugged. Ash shrugged as well, earning a smile from the Forest Pokémon.

After spending another half-hour with his Pokémon, Ash decided to call it a night.  
"Okay guys, I'm headed back home. I'm beat." His Pokémon nodded. One by one, they said their goodbyes and began to wander back to their areas. Eventually, only Sceptile remained.

"What's up, buddy?"  
"Sceptile. Scep scep tile." Sceptile motioned, imitating a pool game. Ash became puzzled.  
"You want to play pool?"  
Sceptile nodded eagerly. "Scep sceptile!" He motioned to Ash, bidding him to follow. Out of curiosity, Ash did as such. Following the Grass-type into the woods, he gasped when he saw a pool table made out of vines and wood planks.  
"You- you did this?"  
Sceptile nodded proudly. "Sceptile!" He then went to the nearest tree and climbed it, coming back down with a pair of pool cues. Ash took one, amazed at the quality and feel of it.  
"You made these?"

Sceptile nodded, flashing his arm blades. He then led Ash to the table, and showed him the felt of the table, which was made from carefully harvested moss. The pockets were - Ash presumed - made from Spinarak web. Sceptile knelt down and began to gently lift a piece of earth up, revealing sixteen carefully carved and painted balls. Ash was amazed.

"You did all this?"

Sceptile shook his head. "Sceptile, scep scep tile sceptile." He imitated Typhlosion, Pikachu, Bayleef, Bulbasaur, Glalie and Torkoal. He then smiled and imitated Blaziken, Skitty, and finally May. Ash couldn't stop laughing, as Sceptile strutted up and down, pretending to be May.

"Alright, alright!" Ash held his stomach, aching from laughter. "You can come with me. I'll come back for you tomorrow, alright?"  
Sceptile nodded eagerly, flashing his arm blades.  
"Goodnight, Sceptile." Ash then walked back home. Hopefully the Professor and his mother were done by now.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**This story was not updated, I just amended this chapter, sorry for the false alarm.**

**Dear Brain In A Vat, I thoroughly enjoyed your review. More on the 'shock' relation of Delia Ketchum and Professor Oak is to be revealed in this chapter.**

**DISCLAIMER: HappyHereford does not own Pokemon, Nintendo, Game Freak and all the other affiliated companies.**

_Before I begin, a quote from someone important._  
"_I am not prejudiced, I hate everyone equally." - raleigh_

The lights beat down, harsh upon the faces of those battling. A young man stood tall, holding a pool cue easily his own height. Next to him waited a Sceptile, holding a strange cue that was around eight feet long. They intently watched the table - an eleven by six menace that was covered in terrible felt and pitted from misplaced strikes.

"Sceptile, your shot." Ash stepped back.

"Tile!" Sceptile stood forward, peering carefully at the pool table. Seeing a potential shot, he stepped towards the wall and hung the long cue back in its place. He then crossed to the other side of the room and picked up a special cue, one of those he'd made himself. Ash smiled tightly. Sceptile then stepped back to the table, lining up the shot. Leaning over the table, he ensured that he was not trying to take an illegal shot. Having made himself sure of that fact, Sceptile rested the pool cue in the "V" made with his left thumb and foreclaw. Lining up his shot, he sent a small prayer to the gods. Then he struck.

The white cue ball whizzed around the table, amazing all those watching. As the cue ball struck the final striped ball -- their last -- Ash allowed himself to relax. He gladly watched as the blue and white ball meandered its way into a side pocket. Letting out a small sigh of relief, Ash sat down and took a mouthful of his beer, grimacing at the taste. But, it was expected of him.

Ash stood up and approached the table, intent on making his winning shot. Looking up, he saw a woman with brown hair, followed by a Blaziken. Ash panicked. He quickly dropped to the ground, pulling Sceptile's pokéball out of his pocket as he did so. Rolling under the pool table, he recalled Sceptile and held his breath, as he saw a pair of feet approaching the table. He then heard voices.

"Can I help you, ma'am?"  
"Yes." Ash's heart thumped. It was May. She continued. "I'm looking for someone."  
"Who might that be?"  
May paused. "He'd be about six foot two, with jet black hair, a Sceptile and --" Ash didn't stick around to hear May finish her description. Crawling from under the table, he quickly sprinted for the door.

"Ash! Come back!" May ran after him, but her feet couldn't move fast enough. She turned her head.

"Blaziken, follow him!"

Blaziken nodded her understanding, and raced past May, practically flying out of the door. Looking around, she saw Ash, about to board a Pidgeot. Blaziken jumped, landing just behind Ash on Pidgeot's back. Pidgeot turned his head, saw the Blaze Pokémon, and cackled.

"Pid pidgeot!" _"I think we're in different egg groups! But, whatever floats your boat."_  
"Blaze, BLAZIKEN!" _"Blow it out your ass!"_

Ash sighed as Blaziken grabbed him around the waist and hoisted him off Pidgeot, dragging him back inside the pool room to where May waited. He rolled his eyes, remembering his visit to Pallet Town.

_FLASHBACK_

This time, Ash knocked on the door, before opening it. Mr. Mime was scrubbing the couch, ensuring no stains remained. He saw Ash and grinned, waving his free arm. Ash smiled at the Barrier Pokémon, before entering the kitchen.

"Not again!" Ash groaned as Professor Oak stood with his back towards Ash, unclipping Delia's bra. Hearing the sudden noise, the two spun around, shocked.

"Ash!" Delia was delighted to see her son. She then remembered her level of undress, and blushed profusely. Professor Oak began to slowly sidle towards the door, but stopped abruptly.  
"Gary, move!"  
Ash turned to see his brunette rival give him a cocky grin.  
"Hey, Ashy-boy."  
Ash smiled.  
"Hey, Gary." He turned back to the blushing Delia and angry Oak.

"So how long have you two been at it?"

Ash winced. Gary doing the questioning may have been a bad idea. Delia answered first.  
"Since Ash left on his journey through Kanto. I was lonely, and Samuel was so sweet. Eventually, it developed further..."

"Bleh!" Ash and Gary both grimaced at the same time. "No more!"  
Professor Oak cleared his throat. "Why, look at the clock, it's time to go!" He stood up and raced outside, before Ash or Gary were unable to stop him. Rolling his eyes, Gary stood up, and turned to Ash.  
"See you round, Ashy-boy."  
"Catch you, Gary." As Gary left the room, Delia looked towards Ash.  
"Now Ash, have you been changing your underwear every day?"

_END FLASHBACK_

May sat quietly at the bar as Ash was dragged into the pool room. Indicating to Blaziken for Ash to be sat on the stool next to her, she took a sip of her cola.

"Hello May, it's nice to see you again." Ash flashed her a charming smile, as she took in his face, noticing a deep scar on his right cheek, and another on the left side of his chin. She looked into his soft brown eyes, smiling as she did so. Ash began to snicker internally, thinking he'd be out of there in no time.

_SLAP!_ The sound echoed throughout the bar, as May's hand left a deep imprint on Ash's left cheek. Ash fell off the stool, clasping his hands to his cheek before realising what a pussy he was being. He stood up and made a feint at May, who ducked and then kneed him where no-one deserves to be kneed. He rolled onto the ground, screaming and crying, clutching his gonads. The bartender approached May.

"Ma'am, I'm gonna have to ask you to leave." He looked around. All of his punters and most of the pool players were laughing at the unfortunate Ash, who had tears pouring down his face.  
"It's alright, we were just leaving anyway." May hopped down from the bar stool. She grabbed Ash's left arm, while Blaziken grabbed his right. Together, they dragged Ash out the door into the warm autumn air.

"So why did you leave?"

Ash clenched his hands together. "You've never felt the call." He looked to the velvety night sky. "It pulls, tugs, screams at you, until you finally give in." He looked at May. "I miss travelling with Pokémon, sure. But the pool circuit gave me skills Pokémon never could."

"Like what?" May looked at him. She was shocked when Ash grabbed her, and pressed his lips to hers.

Ash was horrified when he grabbed May. He was even more frightened when he found himself kissing her. Feeling her relax, he reached into his pocket and selected a Pokéball. Touching the crest he'd emblazoned on it, he pulled it out and threw it behind him. Pidgeot quietly appeared and moved slightly away, waiting for his signal.

May slipped her arms around Ash's waist, waiting for him to try and make a getaway. Sure enough, he soon broke off the kiss and jumped for Pidgeot, until he realized that May was still attached to him. He was thrown to the ground, with May sitting on his chest.

"Get off me!"  
"Or what?" May smirked. "I want answers, Ash. And I might consider getting up if you give me some good ones."  
"Or what?" Ash asked cockily, mimicking her earlier words. May smiled.  
"Or I'll call Misty and tell her where you are."  
Ash paled instantly, until he looked like a dead Seel. "No, no, anything but her!"  
"Then you better answer some questions."

Finding another bar, they sat quietly, with Sceptile and Blaziken conversing in a corner, but within earshot if things got ugly. Ash looked at May.  
"Well?"  
May pursed her lips. "Why didn't you ever come home?"  
Ash blinked. "I did." He blinked again. "Like last week, and the time before that--"  
May slammed her fist down on the table. "Cut the bulldust, Ash!" She relaxed slightly before continuing. "Why the secrecy?"  
Ash shrugged. "I suppose I can tell you."


	4. Sorry

To all my wonderful readers,

I'm sorry for not updating for some time. I've been struggling with illness, and I have thus been forced to put this story on hiatus for an unknown period of time. Please bear with me, I will try to update when I can, but they may be few and far-between.

Your words feed me!

HappyHereford


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